MICKLEOVER PRIMARY SCHOOL Name of Policy: Speaking and Listening Date of Policy: June 2017 Member of Staff responsible: H Wildsmith and R Hilton Review date: June 2020 Signature: Chair of Governors Date Approved: At Mickleover Primary School We are: Motivated to learn Proud of our achievements Successful and skilled for life
INTRODUCTION This policy sets out the organisation of skills taught at Mickleover Primary School in speaking and listening, group discussion and interaction, drama, Standard English and language variation. These skills are set out in the National Curriculum for England and form part of the Key Stages 1 and 2 Programmes of Study (2014). The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils development across the whole curriculum; underpinning the development of reading and writing. The national curriculum states that teachers should ensure the continual development of pupils confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS Our aims in speaking and listening are for pupils to be taught to: Listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers; Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge; Use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary; Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions; Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings; Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments; Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas; Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English; Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates; Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s) Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others; Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication. TEACHING STYLES AND STRATEGIES At Key Stages One and Two, speaking and listening should form an integral part of the daily literacy lesson as well as in other areas of the curriculum. A rich variety of opportunities should be provided for children to use speaking and listening skills in a variety of forms for many purposes including: to plan, hypothesise, reflect, role-play, question, criticise, work collaboratively, persuade, debate, argue, disagree, evaluate, explain, summarise, interview, report, describe, narrate, present, justify an opinion, recite and read aloud. (These activities should help to develop mastery in a variety of subjects.) Page 2 of 5
PLANNING AND ORGANISATION When planning speaking and listening activities, teachers should work in line with the National Curriculum for England, English Programmes of Study: Key Stages 1 and 2 (2014). Some of the techniques that teachers may employ to develop children s speaking and listening skills through drama activities include; freeze frame, conscience alley, forum theatre, meetings, thought tracking, hot-seating, paired improvisation, flashbacks and flash forwards. When working in groups or pairs to discuss a topic the following techniques Think pair share, snowballing, envoys, jigsaw, statements game, rain bowing, information gap may be useful. Speaking and listening are fundamental parts of learning and should be embedded in all areas of the curriculum. FOUNDATION STAGE Speaking is an essential part of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage. Communication and Language forms one of the prime areas of learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS). Within EYFS Communication and Language is divided into three component parts; Listening and Attention; Understanding; and Speaking. The Early Years is concerned with developing key skills of communication, language and literacy which will prepare children for Key Stage One so they are ready to access the National Curriculum. Every day, children must be exposed to a wealth of opportunities to communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings and to build relationships with adults and peers. Adults working in the Foundation Stage should model good communication techniques including maintaining eye contact, listening and taking turns to speak. Children should have opportunities to develop sustained listening through story telling sessions. Show and tell is a good opportunity to build children s confidence in the early stages and to encourage good speaking and listening skills. The early learning goals govern the key skills to be taught throughout the year. The EYFS Early Learning Goals state that Foundation Stage children are expected to: Listening and Attention Listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to short stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity. Understanding Follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer how and why questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events. Page 3 of 5
Speaking Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events. THE CONTRIBUTION OF SPEAKING AND LISTENING TEACHING IN OTHER CURRICULUM AREAS It is expected that speaking and listening skills are developed within all areas of the curriculum. The implementation of the New Curriculum where subjects are taught in a more cross curricular fashion enables speaking and listening activities to be an integral part of the lesson. During the year there are many opportunities for children to develop their skills further if they so wish to. These opportunities include: Mickleover Talent Show Foundation Stage Christmas show; Christmas performance at Key Stage One; Lower Junior production; and Year 6 Leavers production. Show and Tell Presentations in Year 6 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES It is the policy of Mickleover Primary School to ensure that every child receives an equal opportunity within speaking and listening activities, regardless of race, gender, ability or Special Educational Needs. SPECIAL NEEDS Children who have difficulty articulating their thoughts and ideas should have extra support within lessons from teaching or support staff. Individual pupil needs should be addressed with a Multi Element Plan (MEP) written in consultation with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and parents. English as an Additional Language (EAL) children will need extra support within lessons to take part and achieve success. Pupils who are struggling to develop key speaking and listening skills will need to be closely monitored by the teacher to decide whether it is a reduced hearing, articulation or language processing problem. GIFTED AND TALENTED Staff must ensure that there are adequate opportunities for Gifted and Talented children and these should be noted within planning where appropriate. Speaking and listening activities should be planned to challenge the more able children through role play, hot seating or scripted performances. ASSESSMENT, RECORDING AND REPORTING. Speaking and listening skills are assessed against the key skills set out in the National Curriculum for English. Teachers should make informal notes throughout the year, some of Page 4 of 5
which may be made in the children s individual Personal and Social Health Education (PSHE) record. Any concerns must be passed on when children move to another class. In the Foundation Stage children are assessed against the Early Years profile statements and are given a score in Language for Communication and Thinking. RESOURCES There is a large variety of resources that can be used to support speaking and listening activities. ipads Digital cameras Recording microphones Smart boards Visitors from the local community Stories on tape and CD Role play clothes and props Puppets Play scripts HEALTH AND SAFETY There are many opportunities to develop children s speaking and listening skills through PSHE and Citizenship. Children can learn about themselves though talking to others and develop a mutual respect for their peers. MONITORING AND REVIEW The monitoring of speaking and listening is carried out through: Lesson observations; Samples of planning; Assembly Activities; and End of term performances where children s skills are demonstrated. Page 5 of 5